Clubfoot: A Correctable Condition

By Danielle K. D

The good news about clubfoot is that when the condition is caught early, it is treatable. And clubfoot can be diagnosed very early – even before a baby is born. Once doctors realize a fetus shows signs of clubfoot, they can begin outlining a plan for treatment, and after the baby is born, treatment can begin as early as one week later.

Clubfoot, or Giles Smith Syndrome, is a birth defect that causes one or both feet to turn inward so that the toes point to the middle of the body. The feet also appear as if they are rolling over, so that the tops of the feet are where the soles of the feet should be. Children affected by clubfoot tend to have feet that are shorter and broader than the average child’s feet.
Muscles in the calf may also be affected, resulting in the lower leg being disproportionately small. Children who are not successfully treated for clubfoot will suffer from limited mobility throughout their lives.

Treatment usually takes the form of repeated stretchings and castings on a weekly basis (the Ponseti Method). The initial treatment lasts 6-8 weeks. In most cases, a minor surgery (called a tenotomy) is necessary. The doctor simply clips the Achilles tendon in order to release it. At this point, most children are finished with any major treatment, although a few may require further surgical procedures.

Even after a successful treatment, a foot can attempt to return to the clubfoot position. It is important to invest in orthopedic shoes, insoles and braces that can help train foot muscles to hold the foot in its proper position. Children who were treated without surgery will suffer fewer side effects as they grow older. Surgery tends to make the foot stiff from the build up of scar tissue, and so a child whose feet were operated on will most likely require extra support from his or her shoes throughout his or her life.

Regardless of the treatment method, a corrected clubfoot will most likely be smaller and less mobile than a normal foot. The lower leg of the affected foot will also be smaller. In order to ensure that shoes are properly supporting your child’s feet, it may be necessary to purchase shoes of two different sizes. That said, your child can look forward to an active life of full mobility.

Jane Barron works for OddShoeFinder.com,a free online website that helps people find mismatched footwear.If you are looking for different sized shoes, or information useful to polio survivors, people with diabetes foot problems, and people with foot size differences, visit: www.oddshoefinder.com

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